A Chat With Tour de France Best Young Rider Coryn Rivera

Rivera took the win at the inaugural women's race at the Tour of Utah. (Photo by Dan Munson)

At just 22, Coryn Rivera has already amassed 58 national championship jerseys in road, track, and cyclocross.

When she’s not working on her marketing and entrepreneurship degree at Marian University in Indianapolis and tearing up collegiate racing across the country, the California native rides for the UnitedHealthcare professional cycling team.

Rivera has made history twice this summer. At the inaugural La Course, a one-day women’s race at the Tour de France, she sprinted to sixth place on the iconic Champs-Elysees, earning the title of Best Young Rider. Last week, she took the win at the Tour of Utah’s first women’s race.

We caught up with Rivera to talk about her groundbreaking season.

Bicycling: How did it feel to race in La Course and pull off such a great finish?

Coryn Rivera: La Course was an unreal experience. It was historic to ride over the women's start and finish line on the Champs Élysées and see the Arc de Triomphe in the distance with my teammates and the best female cyclists in the world. I was very honored to be on the La Course podium as the best young rider.

What was the team plan going into the race?

Any race the UnitedHealthcare women enter, we race to win. I’d come off of good fitness from the Giro Rosa and had plenty of time to rest and get the legs fast before La Course so I knew I was going into it with good form. The team plan was to keep it together for the sprint and lead it out for Hannah [Barnes] and me. And despite the buzz and attention from the race, it is after all just a bike race and I just had to be patient throughout and focus on being in good position to sprint to the line.

How did the Tour of Utah play out for you?

The Tour of Utah Women's Edition went perfectly planned for the UnitedHealthcare women. We kept it all together for a field sprint and Katie [Hall] pulled back a couple stragglers off the front. Scotti [Wilborne] started picking up the pace in the final lap and by 1km to go Alison [Powers] did her monster lead-out as usual and dropped me off clean to the finish line.

How was the coverage of the women’s race at Utah?

The coverage at Utah was very well done. Sign in and podium had a great showing [from the spectators and the field] on top of an exciting race itself. I haven't been able to watch the coverage that was on TV, but I know my family enjoyed watching it. And as soon as podium was over I was rushed to go to TV interviews and joined the men after their finish at the press conference.

How does it feel to be part of the sport in such a time of change?

It's been a privilege to be involved in the sport at this time. There is a lot of change and movement also followed by plenty of momentum and support. I am honored to be supporting these changes for my future racing and beyond. One day I would like to say that I had a part in the movement that created a women's Tour de France— one that lasts for more than a day.

What would you like to see change in women’s cycling?

Nothing is going to happen overnight obviously, but the biggest issue I see in women's cycling is riders having to have a second income. You don't see many of the WorldTour men working a second job to pay the bills.

Would you consider this a breakout year for you?

Yeah definitely, I've been on the best form in my entire career with room for growth. I had a winter on the trainer in Indianapolis, a successful collegiate season with Marian, and so far one of the best summers I've ever had racing. I'd say most of it has to do with my environment and the good people I have around supporting me.

How do you balance going to school full time at Marian and racing at the elite level?

It works out really great because I spend the early spring with Marian and collegiate racing slowly building fitness. And by the time collegiate road nationals are over in early May, the summer professional racing is just getting started. I miss a couple collegiate race weekends to race for UnitedHealthcare every now and then but Marian and my professors are very understanding and supportive of what I'm doing.

What’s next for you?

Well I'm about to start my senior year at Marian and the focus for the rest of the year is crits and crit nationals [September 6th in High Point, NC]. I'll also be getting into collegiate track and collegiate MTB to end the year. After that I'll do my last season of collegiate road. Then I'll have to figure out where I want to live once I graduate.

What’s the big end goal for you in cycling?

Especially with graduation from college looming in the near future, focusing more on racing is becoming more realistic. I would like to take the sport as far as I can, including the World Championships and the Olympics.

And any post-cycling goals?

I'm not really sure yet. Still focusing on the now, but maybe starting my own business of some sort. I'd always thought it would be fun to have my own coffee shop. But whatever I end up doing, I want to be happy doing it.

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